Funky Onions

Billy Davis And The Legends - Spunky Onions

Here's some not-so-serious rockin' instrumental goodness from 1959. J.C. Billy Davis grew up in the deep south before moving to Detroit, taking up guitar and forming a hot R&B combo, The Upsetters, which were Berry Gordy's pre-Funk Brothers house band. Davis then served in Hank Ballad's band. He became buddies with a young Jimi Hendrix, who ended up taking his place in The Midnighters when Davis was drafted to Korea. Somewhere in the middle of all that he recorded today's selection with a group he called The Legends. The tune was apparently originally called Funky Onions but became Spunky because, you know, funk used to be a bad word. When he returned from Korea, Davis went on to be a session man for many of the giants of the soul and funk world.